Psalm 25 is one of many psalms attributed to David. Psalms “of David” were not necessarily written by the shepherd king. Their designation as belonging to David is more an indication that they were to be recited in public worship. In this psalm, verse four expresses its central message: “Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.” As we enter into the season of Advent, we are on a path of preparation. We reflect on the meaning that Jesus’ birth has for our lives. We want to know Jesus’ ways. We want to immerse ourselves in Jesus’ teachings. We want to walk a pathway of a life worthy of Jesus—a life imbued with his love.

The selected verses from Psalm 25 conclude with this affirmation, “All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.” Echoing the words of Jeremiah, the psalmists’s words are a gracious promise that by keeping covenant with God, our pathway will be characterized by steadfast love and faithfulness. The theme “LOVE Is Coming” returns in this psalm. The promise of love calls for faithfulness.

Love is coming in the birth of the One who will show us how to live life to its fullest. It is a life where love is central to our identity and our relationships with others. When asked how Christianity might take root in India, Mahatma Gandhi once told E. Stanley Jones, “Emphasize love and make it your working force, for love is central in Christianity.”* Love is coming, and Advent is our time to prepare for it, to live into it, and to make it our life force.

E. Stanley Jones, Gandhi: Portrayal of a Friend (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1948), 51.